This weekend I saw a Goodwill truck with this big and bold slogan: "Getting people jobs." I was impressed.

As an international organization, their homepage states their mission clearly and succinctly - and in plain language: 

We help people who are looking for work or better jobs so they can better provide for their families.

Goodwill is a good example of a major non-profit that knows how to brand itself and tie its brand to its mission. Cone's Nonprofit Power Brand 100 study ranks Goodwill Industries International as #5 among leading nonprofit brands in America, with a brand value of over $2.5 billion. I think if Goodwill directly connects donating with jobs, their brand image and fundraising will be even stronger.

The National Pork Board (NPB) is aiming to increase sales by repositioning its domestic pork promotion campaign. “Pork. The Other White Meat has 90 percent recognition, but recognition does not equate to high demand,” CEO Chris Novak says in the online trade newsletter Pork.  “The current campaign compares pork to others (chicken); it doesn’t let it stand on its own.” A new ad campaign and approach will be announced next year.

Hmm, I always thought comparing to a well known product or brand and clearly contrasting what makes you different was a good way to carve out mindshare and market share. Positioning, by definition, always involves a comparison to identify the class of product and a distinction to stand out from others within the class. So...how might NPB reposition pork? Some ideas from NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me blog.

Pork: Secretly loved by Jews for 5,000 years.

Last week, I was at the mall with my wife and kids. Following along, I wasn't paying much attention to where we were going, though I did her someone say "Nordstrom" as we walked into the nearest department store. Passing the shoes, I noticed their selection was well below par. I was also amazed a the low prices and Kohl's-like display of men's pants. Then when I asked for help on two occasions, both salespeople simply pointed and said "over there." At this point, I knowingly said to my wife, "The service is really bad for Nordstrom's and some of the prices are so low!" She looked at me and said, "Moshe, this is Sears. You've been here for 20 minutes and you still thought it was Nordstrom??"

Rather than trying to convince her that I was doing such a good marketing experiment that I didn't even know I was doing it (inadvertently doubleblind, as it were), I simply said, "yes."

Looking back, I realize how well Nordstrom lives its brand promise of service and quality. And how Sears can win on price - sometimes. And lastly, how Nordstorm can transform clothes shopping (even for a non-shopper like yours truly) into an "experience." Now that's a brand!

I was making a deposit in the bank and saw this "rock" on the counter by the teller. In fact, there was one of these promotional items by every teller branding the solidness of Union Bank. (The pen is there for scale).

Then I picked it up. It was made of soft foam. About as solid as a marshmallow. Is that really the brand message Union Bank wants to convey?? Trust us with your money. Because we're solid ...like a marshmallow. The morale of the story is the medium can be the message. Think it through Union Bank!

I like social media. I often advise clients to strategically employ social media. I use some personally. But there is a major downside. Like Doonesbury illustrates, it takes a lot of work to curate our "personal brand" on social media. (click here for a better view of the comic strip):

Social media is great to connect us with people and things we care about. But the "opportunities" to stay connected through social media can cost us staying connected with the people around us. We stray away from old fashioned "analog" social media, like talking or hugging or just being present with another person. As good as Facebook is, and Twitter is, and gosh darn Andy of Mayberry, even as good as this blog is, real life relationships come first. So there you have it. Gotta go... need to check status updates from my Facebook friends (just kidding!).